1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device and a method for singularized dispensing of solid portions forming a bulk quantity. Such devices and methods are typically utilized for pharmaceutical solid dosage forms in the form of drug portions, such as tablets, coated tablets, pills, capsules, globules (spherules), mini and micro-tablets and others, for example. The invention can also be used for dispensing solid portions for other purposes, such as nutritional supplements, vitamin preparations and build-up preparations.
A dispenser is particularly useful for counting of mini and micro-tablets and globules, where the dispenser releases not only one but multiple such solid portions controlled in a defined number, so that a predefined quantity of such type of small-scale dosage forms can also be easily separated and taken by any users.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
A system for the provision of a pharmaceutical form of administration for at least one active substance with pharmaceutical auxiliary additives and their uniform and consistent dosage is stated in DE 20 2004 021 462 U1. The system includes a dispensing device that is matched to the individual single dosage for a patient and interacting functionally with the dispensing device for the administration in form of solids. In one of the illustrated embodiments, the dispensing device includes a dosing container (a primary packaging), which contains the solids. A pipe length is disposed between an outer wrapping and an inner wiper of the dosing container, which pipe length itself has portioning areas for the solids. The portioning areas are filled respectively with one solid from the inner area of the dosing container in the area that is not covered by the wiper. By rotating the pipe length by means of an actuation device, the respectively filled portioning area is separated by the wiper from the interior of the dosing container and fed to an ejection opening. The ejection opening can for example be covered by a closure in the form of a receiver. Markings for the portioning quantities are applied on the internal pipe length, which markings are visible from outside.
A manually operated dispensing device is furthermore disclosed in WO 2010/060568 A2, which comprises a storage chamber and a dispensing area as well as a feed unit in a container, which feed unit connects the storage chamber and the dispensing area. The feed unit serves for the singularized supply of drug units into the dispensing area. The feed unit is developed by a feed wheel with feed pockets, which during its rotation carries along respectively one drug unit in the pockets and feeds it to the dispensing area. The feed wheel is rotated by an electronically controlled motor.
The known devices for dosing of solid pharmaceutical forms of administration and other solids are either not very reliable with respect to the dosing of a specific number of solid units, however, or require substantial expense during their production, use and disposal. In particular the dispensing device from WO 2010/060568 A2 requires an electronic control and a motorized drive so that the feed unit can be operated. As a consequence, the use and also the disposal are complex and costly after the use of this dispensing device. Moreover, the type of dispensing the solid portions with the known devices and methods is in particular uncertain when mini and micro-tablets or (micro-)globules are to be administered in a defined larger number, because this can easily result in incorrect dosing. Dispensing solid portions with the known devices requires additionally that these are transferred from a primary package, for example from a tablet storage container, into the device. Such transfer into a dosing vessel can result in impairing the quality of the pharmaceutical units of presentation, however.